Learn me about Dodge Dakotas

Vigo said:

AWD is just a 4wd transfer case that has a viscous coupling (usually) instead of a 2hi mode. Allows minor speed difference between front and rear such as turning maneuvers but grips/locks when there's a significant difference such as wheel spin.  People break them on accident by not knowing that you cant run without front CV axles or a front driveshaft because then you're transferring all of your torque across the coupling all the time. 

I was more asking about that particular one,making sure it isn't horrible.

It is a cool feature though, I expected just 2hi

I have an '06 Dakota with the 4.7 V8 and 180k miles.  It's running on 6-1/2 cylinders with low compression on #2 and #7.  I'm told they used sintered metal valve seats until 07 or 08.  I get misfires on cold idle but it still gets down the road when warmed up.  The rest of the truck is still nice and I'm on the fence about doing heads and timing set vs. a reman long block to get a couple more years out of it.

I was more asking about that particular one,making sure it isn't horrible.

Yeah sorry, i edited my post almost right away with something a little more specific to that truck.  It looks like its an NV244HD transfer case if you want to look deeper into it. It has a little more parts than a non-awd case and so it can be more expensive to rebuild if it ever does break. You can definitely swap in the part-time case from the same years if you feel the need to. 

I have a 2003 single cab short bed 5spd 4.7 and i love it.  Tows 5000 lbs and gets 14 mpg doing it.  Drives nicely.  Gets out of its own way REAL well.

Then I took it apart to replace the clutch and fell into one of those motivation traps where the pilot bearing is good and stuck in the crankshaft, I drilled/dremeled/hacked at it for a while, then walked away, and haven't been back for like 10 months now.

berkeley.

Any chryco engine ending in .7 RUN. 2.7, 3.7, 4.7. I mean it. The 2.7's self destructed from the inside out. The 3.7's were garbage with timing chain/valve issues, the 4.7 hates its valve, waterpump, head gaskets and every transmission they put behind it. 

My best friend had a first gen Dakota reg cab, shortbed with the 5.2 (318). No lie, from a stop light he could put half a car length on my 2000 2.2/5spd Sonoma until I shifted to 2nd gear, then it was over and I slowly would walk away from it every time. His was a 1991 with the 170hp (on a good day with a tailwind) 5.2. That thing was absolutely gutless and he consistently got 14mpg. Highway cruising at 65? 14mpg. stop and go traffic? 14mpg. Smashing it for all its worth? 14mpg. Driving like granny on her way to church? 14mpg. 

RedGT said:

I have a 2003 single cab short bed 5spd 4.7 and i love it.  Tows 5000 lbs and gets 14 mpg doing it.  Drives nicely.  Gets out of its own way REAL well.

 

Then I took it apart to replace the clutch and fell into one of those motivation traps where the pilot bearing is good and stuck in the crankshaft, I drilled/dremeled/hacked at it for a while, then walked away, and haven't been back for like 10 months now.

 

berkeley.

Time to break out the white bread?

https://bangshift.com/general-news/videos/feed-it-until-it-pops-removing-a-pilot-bearing-with-bread/

bobzilla said:

Any chryco engine ending in .7 RUN. 2.7, 3.7, 4.7. I mean it. The 2.7's self destructed from the inside out. The 3.7's were garbage with timing chain/valve issues, the 4.7 hates its valve, waterpump, head gaskets and every transmission they put behind it. 

My best friend had a first gen Dakota reg cab, shortbed with the 5.2 (318). No lie, from a stop light he could put half a car length on my 2000 2.2/5spd Sonoma until I shifted to 2nd gear, then it was over and I slowly would walk away from it every time. His was a 1991 with the 170hp (on a good day with a tailwind) 5.2. That thing was absolutely gutless and he consistently got 14mpg. Highway cruising at 65? 14mpg. stop and go traffic? 14mpg. Smashing it for all its worth? 14mpg. Driving like granny on her way to church? 14mpg. 

It seems like the 4.7 is prettty polarizing, some people really really love it, others really really hate it

In reply to Antihero :

I don't mind 4.7 (knocks on all types of wood) other than how thristy it is. It make adequate power to tow anything I have. I've suffered brake, throwout bearing, interior trim and heater core issues.

I have to drop the transmission for (what I think is) another throwout bearing issue. This would be the second time since I've owned it (since 2007).

Mrs. Zero loved it when she used it as a DD due to the size but hated the MPGs it returned.

200k+ miles 4.7L Auto 4dr SLT 2wd It's my second 2nd Gen Dakota the first was a club cab 318" Auto 2wd

Will not tolerate hauling heavy loads, tuning strategy sucks, timing retards and it makes the exhaust do a lava lamp imitation. The manifolds warp and shear the bolts off.

Boxed and fully welded frame VERY rigid. Great handling. Like the rack & pinion.

4wd front suspension Sucks, 4wd highway mileage takes a significant hit.

I'm on my 3rd power window regulator in the drivers door. And 2nd TPS sensor.

It's a dirty motor and needs frequent oil changes Shell Rotella or better.

Left coast resident no rust, paint is still good.

Interior has held up well, headliner just started to separate from the backing. Seat foam is turning into powder. Center console latch broke years ago.

I like it enough I just put a set of Bilstein's and new tires on it.

I'll probably get the headliner redone and restuff the seats this year.

Cant justify replacing it, and I have other choices to drive as well.

Ive done headgaskets/timing chains on 4.7s. It would help if it either made more power OR was more reliable than a 5.2/5.9, but it doesn't/isn't. I don't consider it a terrible engine in general, just terrible for a mopar v8. The magnum 5.2/5.9 are well above average in reliability in my experience, even in terms of just oil leaks! A 4.7 dakota is a very pleasant and fairly powerful thing to drive, though. I just don't like the engine as much as the Magnum v8s.

In reply to MadScientistMatt :

Been there, done that, worked fine to get the spinny bits out of it. However the larger carrier thing is stuck in the crank and matches the ID such that there is no lip to pull on nor pressurize with bread/grease/etc. I actually got back to it tonight, drilled it, will tap and pull soon.

I just sold my 1997 Dakota recently after owning it for about 7 years. Mine was a 2WD extended cab Sport with the 3.9L V6 and an automatic. Here's my take:

The Good:

-The size is great. It's bigger than a contemporary S10/Ranger, but smaller than full size. I found it to be perfect.

-The interiors hold up better than their contemporaries. Although mine had plenty of creaks and rattles, the seats and dash were flawless after nearly 180k miles.

-Drivetrain options are pretty good. They range from the Jeep 2.5L I4 to the 5.9L V8 in the R/T trucks. I'd also avoid the 4.7L as others have said. There are also tuning options for the 5.2L and 5.9L out there. The 3.9L V6 in mine was adequate, but I always wished it had a V8. I'd get a 5.2 truck if you are looking for 4WD, or hold out for a 5.9 R/T if 2WD is what you want.

-I think they still look great, but that's entirely subjective.

-They have rack and pinion steering, which feels pretty good on these.

The Bad:

-90's Chrysler build quality was extremely hit or miss. I had issues with random wiring, parts fitment, etc. Mine was one of the early trucks, though.

-They eat ball joints and other front end components, like many of the contemporary small trucks and SUV's.

-Steering shafts on these have a proprietary u-joint and when they start to fail (and they do so often), you have to replace the entire thing. It's a pain to do, especially on 4WD trucks. Mine was so bad that it was a miracle I didn't crash!

-Rust, rust, rust. These trucks love to rust, especially the fenders, rockers, and bedsides. Bumpers also love to rot out. Mine were skeletal remains when I bought the truck!

-Speaking of rust, look out for rusty brake lines. Mine only retained the original lines on the ABS pump; everything else I had to replace, and sometimes twice! They were also built in that funky period where US OEM's were using some standard and some metric, so you'll get brake lines with bubble flares with SAE and/or Metric fittings, which is extra fun. Also, they don't make pre-bent lines, so get used to fabbing them up yourself. I got pretty good at it over the years because of my truck.

-They have an odd 6-lug bolt pattern, so finding aftermarket wheels can be tough. They did make OEM wheels in everything from steel 15's to 17's from the R/T trucks, which is nice.

-Lighting is AWFUL. The headlights aren't clear, and light output on mine was about as good as duct taping a free Harbor Freight flash light with a failing battery to the hood, even with upgraded bulbs. I could drive around with my high beams on and no one would notice. They do make aftermarket housings for them, but I'm not sure how much better they would be.

-Even the small engine models are terrible on gas. The best I got out of the V6 was about 16mpg once. Typically, I'd get between 14 and 15mpg. You might as well skip the smaller engines and get a V8 truck, because they will get the same gas mileage.

All that said, they are a good bargain if you can find a clean one. I'd stick to one with the 5.2 or 5.9 V8, make sure you are good at fabbing up brake lines, and find the cleanest one you can!